RWBY Volume 6 - Fighting Back
by Darkpenn
Summary: This collection consolidates the 11 episodes of Darkpenn's version of Volume 6, following Volume 5 of series actual.


**Volume 6: Fighting Back**

[This collection consolidates the 11 episodes of Darkpenn's version of Volume 6. It follows Volume 5 of series actual, and does not connect with any of Darkpenn's other RWBY stories.]

* * *

 **Plans, Most Secret**

"Sometimes," said Weiss, "the only sensible response to great trauma is shopping."

Ruby sighed. "I suppose I could use a new cape, this one is almost in shreds," she said. "And new stockings as well. Ones without holes."

"Say, maybe I should give you a total makeover," said Weiss.

"No, no, definitely no, just help me find a new cape. Red, of course. What are you looking for?"

"A dress without a spear-hole in it. Although even before that this one was having ... issues. It hasn't been the same since the airship crash. Being locked in a filthy cage didn't help either."

"Uh, what?"

"Long stories. Tell you later."

The four of them were walking through one of Mistral's retail areas. Weiss glanced at Yang and Blake, walking some way behind. They were pointedly looking in different directions.

"What the hell?" she said. "Yang's done nothing but complain about Blake not being here and now she's going out of her way to not say a word to her."

"Huh, yeah, funny."

They came to a dress store. Weiss and Ruby started to try things on while Yang and Blake waited. Fortunately, Qrow had transferred some lien to each of their scrolls.

"How about this?" said Weiss.

"It is another skirt," said Blake. "White, again."

" _Combat_ skirt," said Weiss.

"If it involves tulle, it's not for combat," said Yang. "There's a rule."

"Sounds like a rule made to be broken," said Weiss, as she pulled on a pair of thigh-high boots and her sword-sheath. "You know, I really miss the clothes that I left in our room at Beacon. You think we can get them back?"

"Yes, we should immediately mount a mission to destroy the thousands of Grimm there, plus the dragon and any other villains, in order to rescue your wardrobe," said Blake. "And to tell the truth I left a ... special ... book there I would like to get back. So ... let's go."

Weiss and Ruby stared at Blake, amazed that she would make a joke. Then they laughed. Yang did not.

Ruby went into a dressing-room to change, and returned. "How about this?" she said, twirling a new cape around a new outfit.

"Whoa!" said Weiss. "When did you get cleavage?"

"Couple of months ago. You're showing a bit more of the assets than you used to, as well."

Weiss grinned. "Well, I 98 per cent died, so I'm allowed," she said, stuffing her old dress into a carry-bag. "Life can be short."

Blake sized the two of them up. "Not bad," she said. "Not too bad at all."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," said Yang.

"Miss Grumpy," muttered Ruby.

They were heading back to Haven when an airship, banners streaming from its wingtips, passed over them.

"Hey, Weiss, isn't that your sister's ship?" said Ruby.

"I guess Qrow and Ozpin were able to get a message to Atlas on a military channel," said Weiss. "Ozpin is pretty adamant that Atlas is the safest place for the relic."

"I am not so sure," said Ruby.

They reached the Haven courtyard as the airship touched down. Winter Schnee came down the ramp. She stared at Weiss.

"Are you on your way to a fancy-dress party?" said Winter.

Weiss looked at her sister, speechless.

"Life can be short," whispered Ruby to Weiss.

"Uh, I ... I like it," said Weiss to Winter.

"Well, you look merely foolish," said Winter.

Weiss stared at Winter. She took a deep breath. "It is good to see you again, sister," she said. "But I think my choice in clothes should be my own."

"Actually, despite my aversion to skirts I think she looks pretty damn fine," put in Blake.

"Whereas you, as usual, look like an overdressed pony," said another voice.

Qrow.

Winter and Qrow glowered at each other. Their hands went to their weapons.

"I assume it is you who are responsible for this absolute mess," said Winter.

"It was a group effort," put in Ruby. "And I should point out that, in fact, we won. Defeated the bad guys, protected the relic, saved the day, et cetera."

But Winter and Qrow were not listening. They were on the point of drawing their weapons for another round of their ongoing quarrel.

Then a blade cut through the air between them. It left a trail of glowing light, which faded after a few seconds.

"Stop it!" said Weiss. "Honestly, you two are like squabbling children! Why don't you just ... _get a room!_ And have done with it!"

Winter and Qrow both stared at her. "Er, what?" said Winter.

"You heard," said Weiss.

"Heh," said Ruby. "Get a room. That's a good one. Hmm ... " She looked at Blake and Yang.

Weiss was walking away. Ruby, Blake and Yang followed.

"Gosh, that was brave," said Blake to Weiss.

"Take a quick look and tell me if they've started fighting yet," said Weiss.

Blake glanced back. "No, still doing the staring thing," she said.

"Heh," said Ruby again.

RWBY

The table in the Haven Academy dining hall was crowded. Oscar, Blake's parents, Sun, Ilia, Nora, Ren, Jaune, and Team RWBY – with Yang and Blake sitting several places apart. There were two chairs unfilled.

"I've read stories about Leo Lionheart in his younger days," Weiss was saying. "A pity for his end to be so ... pathetic. And ... bloody."

"Yes, Salem really terrified him," said Nora. "They must have been in contact in some way."

Ruby stared at her, thinking.

Ilia was looking at a bruise on her arm.

"Did you get that in the fight last night?" said Yang.

"No, Sun pinched me," said Ilia.

"Well, you stabbed me," said Sun.

"So ... you think that now you're even?" said Yang.

Ilia and Sun looked at each other, and then at Yang. "It's an animal thing," they said together.

Yang sighed. "I will never understand faunus," she said.

"Apparently not," muttered Blake.

"And just what does that mean!?" said Yang.

"Ah, you know, after dinner the four of us should go and check out Leo's office," said Ruby. "See if there are any books or anything about the relic. We really don't know much about it, after all. And it would be good to find out more about this weird place where it was hidden. From what you say, Yang, it sounded like a whole different world."

"And not a very nice one, really," said Yang. "Heat, sand ... and more sand. And more heat as well. As far as I could tell, that was all there was."

"Oscar, can Ozpin tell us anything about it?" said Nora.

Oscar considered. "I think that Ozpin is ... resting," he said eventually.

"You know, it's pretty hard to get a straight answer from Oz," said Jaune. "Great and powerful he might be but I get the feeling that there's a lot he's not telling us. Not all of it good."

Everyone nodded – even Oscar.

After the meal ended, the members of Team RWBY climbed the stairs to the principal's office. "Follow my lead, guys," Ruby whispered.

In the office, there was a dark stain on the floor, where Leo had met his grisly end. "Our first priority," said Ruby, "is to get the relic to Atlas as soon as possible. Winter can organise for some gunships to provide protection. That will take a few days."

"And what should we do?" said Weiss.

"I think we've earned a rest," said Ruby. "We should stay here at Haven, with Nora and the others. Maybe help get the Academy ready for the start of classes, it's pretty soon."

"Sounds good," said Yang.

Ruby lowered her voice, and whispered: "When I say move, go double-diamond."

The others nodded slightly. They each touched their weapons.

The door to an adjoining chamber, a small reading room, was slowly opening.

"Ready ... ready ... ready ... " whispered Ruby, " ... ready ... _now!_ "

The four of them leaped aside, Ruby and Weiss going one way and Blake and Yang going another. As they did, four barbed tentacles speared through the space where they had been a moment before.

Yang somersaulted in the air, firing at the Grimm that was now bursting into the room. But the creature used one of its tentacles to deflect her blasts. Another tentacle shot towards her – and then Blake threw Gambol Shroud around it, pulling it away.

Ruby snapped Crescent Rose into position but before she could fire a tentacle lashed at her, forcing her to parry. Another tentacle swiped at Weiss, knocking her down. Ruby slashed at it, cutting the barbed end away. There was a spray of red mist from the wound.

Blake was struggling to keep hold of the tentacle she had ensnared. Another tentacle lanced at her – and then whacked into Yang's mechanical arm. Yang had leaped in the way. Now, still in the air, she raised her other gauntlet and fired, and her bolts severed the tentacle. At the same moment, Blake converted Gambol Shroud to a sword and sliced into the tentacle. Then another tentacle slammed into them, and they went down together.

Several tentacles were attacking Ruby. She spun the scythe, winding a tentacle around it, and grabbed another in her free hand. "Weiss, now!" she shouted.

Weiss leaped, blade up and ready, searching for a gap in the creature's protection. The point of the sword rammed into the eye of the Seer. Weiss pulled the trigger for ice-mode.

The Seer screamed. For a moment, there was the image of the face of Salem in the red mist within the creature. Then it was gone, and the Grimm dropped to the ground. It began to evaporate.

"Nice timing," said Ruby to Weiss.

"But it heard your plan," said Weiss. "Which means Salem heard it."

Ruby smiled. "She heard exactly what I wanted her to hear," she said.

She looked around.

Yang and Blake were still where they had fallen, together. Their faces were only a few inches apart. They were silent.

Then they kissed. It was a serious, passionate kiss. It was a kiss that had been waiting a long time to happen.

"Hmm," said Weiss.

"Explains a lot," said Ruby.

Yang got to her feet. Then she turned and walked stiffly from the room, wiping her eyes.

END (to be continued)

* * *

 **Visitations**

Ruby knocked on the door of the little room in Haven Academy that Qrow was using as an office. "Ah, so here you are," she said as he gestured for her to enter. "You didn't show for dinner last night."

"I ... was busy," he said. "With ... important work. Uh, yeah, that's right, important ... stuff."

"Involving a certain overdressed pony?"

He stared at her. "Well, she's not always overdressed," he said. "And, hey, when did you start making comments like that?"

She gave a chuckle. "You, uncle, are shaved and sober, which I don't think I've ever seen before," she said. "It's almost as if you were trying to impress someone."

He grunted. "As if," he said. He turned to the relic, sitting on the desk. "And as for this hunk of junk ... well, for the Relic of Knowledge, it doesn't seem to know much. I wish Oz would pop in to show us how to turn it on or whatever you are supposed to do with it."

"Oscar says that Ozpin is recovering, and might not reappear for a while," said Ruby.

"It sort of murmurs, sometimes," said Qrow. "I've been asking it questions – which makes me feel pretty stupid, talking to a lamp – but it doesn't seem to have anything to say."

"Huh," said Ruby.

Indeed, the relic had started to murmur a little louder since she had entered the room.

"Why don't you give it a shot?" said Qrow.

"Me?"

"It seems to like you."

So Ruby leaned towards the relic and whispered a question. And then another. And then a third.

The murmuring continued, and then ceased. The light in the lamp dimmed.

Ruby leaned back in her chair. "Well, that was ... useful," she said.

"Er, what was?" said Qrow.

"The answers, of course. You heard, surely."

"Uh, Ruby, I didn't hear anything."

"Hmm," said Ruby. "I wonder why. Uncle, tell me something. Everything I have read about the relics indicates that bringing them together is a bad idea. That's why they were separated in the first place, decades ago. The way they might interact is not really understood."

"So you think that sending the relic to Atlas is unwise, if there is another relic there? General Bonehead has been very cagey about that in the past."

"Maybe. It's true that Atlas has the best protective technology and the strongest weapons, which I assume is what Ozpin was thinking about."

There was a knock on the door. Winter Schnee entered. She started when she saw Ruby.

Ruby noticed that Winter's hair was loose, not clipped back into its usual tight bun. The top button of her uniform was undone.

Winter looked at Qrow. "Mister Branwen," she said.

Qrow looked at Winter. "Officer Schnee," he said.

Ruby stood, chuckling again. "Well, time for me to go," she said.

"If you must," said Winter.

"I'll take this with me," she said, picking up the relic. "Maybe it will want to chat some more."

"And you can close the door on your way out," said Qrow.

RWBY

It was the next day. Weiss, Blake and Ruby were watching porters carry Kali's collection of packages and boxes onto the ship that would take her and the other faunus back to Menagerie. Ghira was planning to contact the chapters of White Fang in Mistral and tell them that Adam Taurus' leadership was over; he would return to Menagerie later, to re-establish White Fang as an organisation for peaceful but determined political action.

"Tell me, Blake," said Weiss, looking at Kali's huge pile of stuff. "Is there anything in Mistral that your mother _didn't_ buy?"

Blake sighed. "It's true, she's a hard woman to stop once she gets going with a scroll," she said.

Kali came over to them. "Everything is as we discussed," she said to Ruby. Ruby nodded.

"Eh?" said Weiss.

"Well, you know, lots of things to put on board, clothes and food and things," said Ruby. "It has been good to meet you, Kali, and thank you ... for everything."

"And I am pleased to see that my daughter has such good friends to rely on," said Kali. "But ... where is the other one?"

"Oh, somewhere around, no doubt," said Ruby.

Kali hugged each of them in turn.

"You know," she said to Blake, "that Sun really wants to be in love with you."

Blake nodded. "I know he does," she said. "But I'm not going to be in love with him. He's a good friend, but that's all he can ever be to me. I'm still trying to find a way to tell him that."

"Well, he's a decent fellow, so try to not hurt him," said Kali. She hugged Blake again.

Blake, Weiss and Ruby watched her board the ship, and it pulled away from the dock.

"Must be good to have a real mother," said Ruby.

"There's upside and downside," said Blake.

The three of them were silent for a while.

Then Weiss said: "So, we're just going to ignore the Goliath in the room, are we?"

"Guess so," said Ruby.

"Oh, shut up, both of you," said Blake.

RWBY

Emerald was staring into the campfire.

"For what it is worth, that illusion of Salem was very powerful," said Hazel.

"Scariest thing I could think of," said Emerald.

Mercury grunted. He was making some repairs to one of his legs, which had been damaged in the fight. "They're a tough bunch, this Team RWBY," he said. "And now they are together, the four of them. They are much stronger, much smarter than Cinder thought – "

"Do you think she's dead?" interrupted Emerald.

"Do you feel like you have Maiden powers?" said Hazel.

"Wh ... what?" said Emerald.

"Well, it is likely that you would have been the last young woman that Cinder would have thought of, in the event of her death," Hazel said. "So if you are not now a Maiden, it is likely that Cinder is still alive. But of course there are many possibilities between life and death."

Emerald considered. "I owe her everything," she said. "Everything. I don't want Maiden powers. I just ... want her back." A tear ran down her cheek.

Hazel glanced at the fourth member of the group. "You had one job to do," he said to him. "Just one. And you failed. Utterly. So ... why are you here?"

Mercury flexed his leg, testing it. "He is here," he said, "because he has nowhere else to go. Isn't that right, Mister Former Big-Shot Revolutionary?"

Immediately, Adam was on his feet, sword drawn.

"Oh, puh – leeze," said Mercury. "The bottom line is that we all failed. We were supposed to obtain the relic and destroy Haven Academy. Last time I looked, when we were beating our very hasty retreat, Haven was still standing and the relic was probably in the hands of the guys we were supposed to kill. The guys we wanted to kill."

"Salem is not going to be happy when we go back," said Emerald.

"You mean, if we go back," said Mercury. "Rainart, how is the portal gizmo?"

Hazel took a polished viridian stone from the bag at his belt. It had once glowed brightly but now the light was faint. "Only enough energy for one more jump," he said.

And the only place it could take them was Salem's castle.

"Not tonight," he said, replacing the stone. He lay down on the hard ground, pulled his coat around himself, and went to sleep.

RWBY

Team RWBY was watching the airships from Atlas prepare for departure. Aside from Winter's ship, there were two gunships and a transport. Soldiers were loading a crate onto the transport.

Winter came over to them. "We are ready," she said. She looked at Ruby. "Ready," she said again.

Ruby nodded.

Winter looked around.

"I thought I should say goodbye," said Qrow, suddenly appearing. "So ... goodbye."

The two of them stared at each other. Then Winter removed the red brooch she always wore at her neck. She handed it to Qrow.

"Something to remember me by," she said.

"Like I was going to forget," said Qrow, taking the brooch. "And when I say goodbye, I mean ... for now."

Winter nodded. For a moment, it looked like she might smile ... but she didn't.

She shook the hands of Ruby, Yang and Blake. Then she shook Weiss' hand. They looked at each other.

Suddenly, Winter hugged her. "It seems that you are not my kid sister anymore," she said.

"And not a spoiled brat, either," said Weiss. "It's been ... a journey. And still a long way to go, I think."

"You'll get there," said Winter. She turned and headed for her airship. The soldiers got into the gunships and the four ships took off.

"Well, that was ... to tell the truth, I don't know what it was," said Blake.

"Ruby, did the relic say anything else to you?" said Qrow to Ruby.

"No, it seems to talk only when it wants to, which isn't very often," said Ruby. "Even if you're super-nice to it, and offer to give it a good polish. But at least now we have some clues to go on."

"Anyway, it looks like our day's work is done," said Yang. "Let's eat. There's a cafe I'd like to try. It has a speciality dish."

"What sort of speciality dish?" said Ruby.

"Tuna," said Yang.

"Uh, did you say ... tuna?" said Blake.

"Tuna," said Yang. "Tuna tuna tuna." She glanced at Blake, and smiled.

"Well then, let's go," said Weiss. "Would you like to join us, Qrow?"

"Er, maybe I'll catch you up," he said.

The four of them left, leaving Qrow staring at the brooch, in which was embedded a tiny flake of snow.

END (to be continued)

* * *

 **Wheels Within Wheels**

Winter Schnee, in the cabin of her airship, watched the northern coastline of Anima pass beneath them. The continent of Solitas was still several hours of flying time away. Between the two continents was a scattering of forested islands, including an archipelago known as the Salt Islands.

She went to the front of the airship. There was the usual pilot, and another at a separate set of controls. "Everything going as it should?" she said to the second one.

"Yes, sir," he said. "Sir, may I ask why we are doing it this way? It seems like a lot of trouble."

"That is in the category of the fewer people who know the better," said Winter.

The tech at the radar console waved for her attention. "Sir," she said. "We are picking up air contacts to the west. Three, no four. No, six. Possibly more, they're close together."

"Can you tell what they are?" said Winter.

"I ... I ... I think they ... sir, I think they are Giant Nevermores," she said.

"What, this far out?" said the pilot at the controls of Winter's ship. "There have been no reports of Grimm in this area for years."

The radar tech was studying the screen more closely. She said: "Definitely Nevermores, definitely on an intercept course."

"We should turn east and increase speed," said the pilot. "We can outrun them."

"No," said Winter. "Steady as she goes. Ready weapons, tell the gunships to do the same." On the horizon, she could see the first of the Salt Islands come into view.

The Nevermores were in sight now. There was a dozen of them, maybe more.

"They will go for the transport," said Winter. "But let's see if we can give them something else to think about." She climbed into the gun turret on top of her ship. She put on a radio headset so she could speak to the gunners in her ship and the other gunships. "Ready," she said, her voice as cool and as hard as ice. "Ready ... fire!"

The guns erupted, taking down several of the creatures. But the Nevermores paid little attention, manoeuvring past the gunships to get to the transport. They began to batter at the airship.

Winter touched the headset switch so she could speak to the second pilot in the cockpit of her ship. "Report," she said.

"Taking damage, one engine failing, electricals at fifty percent!" shouted the pilot. "Losing height fast!"

"Stay calm, no need to get excited," said Winter, as she turned another Nevermore to ashes. She could see the transport; a Nevermore was tearing pieces from it. "Put the transport down on the island up ahead," she said. "No need to try for a gentle landing."

Her airship was alongside the transport now. The attacking Nevermore was in her sights. But she took her hand off the trigger.

The Nevermore tore one of the craft's propellers away. The transport, almost out of control, started to go down. It ploughed into the forest on the island, and rolled. It came to a stop in a grove of trees.

The two surviving Nevermores turned and headed west, back the way they had come.

"Do we pursue?" said the pilot of her ship.

"No, let them go back to their boss," said Winter, climbing out of the turret and heading for the cockpit. "Mark this position for future reference," she said. "Then continue towards Atlas."

"But we lost the transport," said the second pilot, turning away from his remote-control console.

"Yes," said Winter. "I guess we did."

RWBY

Salem watched the transport go down, through her Seer connected to the eyes of a Nevermore.

"Oh Ozpin," she murmured. "You are always so predictable."

RWBY

The meal was drawing to a close when Ruby called for attention. Everyone at the table – Weiss, Blake, Yang, Nora, Ren, Jaune, Sun and Ilia turned towards her.

 _Odd how she has become the natural leader_ , thought Weiss, looking at her. _And when I first met her I called her an idiot._

Ruby took a map from her pocket and unfolded it on the table. It showed all of Remnant. "As you know, the relic spoke to me," she said. "Why to me, and why Qrow couldn't hear it, I don't know, but there it is. I asked it three questions. The first one was about the whereabouts of the Winter Maiden. The answer was 'Shade'." She pointed to the place on the map.

"Shade Academy, in Vacuo?" said Sun. "But I've been there, I'm from Vacuo. There's no Maiden there, and not even talk of one. Never has been."

"Nevertheless, that's what the relic said, and I think we have to accept it, what with it being, you know, the Relic of Knowledge and everything. I believe a team should go there, try to locate her, see if she can help us against Salem. That team should be Nora, Ren, Sun ... and Ilia."

Ilia started. "Wh ... what?" she said. "Me? But ... I've never trained as a Hunter. Never studied anything. I'm just ... what I am."

"Hmm," said Ren. "Blake, Sun, do you vouch for her? That she can be trusted, and that she has the skills?"

Blake and Sun nodded.

"Good enough for me," said Nora.

"And you should lead, Nora," said Ruby.

"Huh?" said Nora. "Me? No, I don't do that sort of stuff. I just whack things. Sometimes make sarcastic comments."

"I think it is a fine idea," said Ren.

"Tag, you're it," said Sun.

Ruby said: "Jaune, there is a very special job I would like you to take. Principal of Haven Academy. As you know, the position is ... vacant."

Jaune's jaw dropped open.

"Yes, I know you would prefer to be in the field, but we have to get the next generation of Hunters ready," continued Ruby. "And I understand that you have spent the past few days doing the work that Leo wasn't doing. Making a good fist of it, too, from what I have seen. And also ... look out for Oscar. He's brave, but not ready for any more confrontations with the forces of evil or whatever."

"Is there any way I can refuse this?" said Jaune.

"Doesn't look like it," said Yang. "And it is, you know, really important. Remnant is already down one academy, and Atlas is playing its own game, so Haven is where the next generation is going to come from."

"But ... but ... but I haven't even graduated!" spluttered Jaune.

"You have everything you need," said Weiss. "I know this."

"I ... I ... well, I ... I suppose so," said Jaune glumly. "If I must."

"That's the spirit!" said Yang.

"What about us?" said Blake. "Team RWBY?"

"We," said Ruby, "are going to Beacon."

Weiss and Blake exchanged glances. Weiss silently mouthed the words: _my clothes_. Blake silently mouthed the words: _my books._

"We should try to take the dragon out of the equation, maybe if it's destroyed the Grimm there will leave," Ruby continued. "It means taking the battle to Salem for once. We know that her forces are diminished, with Hazel defeated and Cinder out of the picture. And she will be distracted."

"I have to say that I'm getting pretty damn sick of her making the aggressive moves and us responding all the time," said Yang. "You don't win a war that way."

"Is Salem at Beacon?" said Weiss. "We don't even know where her base is."

"That was my second question," said Ruby. "The relic told me that her castle is in the Frostfire Wastes. She is there at present."

"The Frostfire Wastes," mused Blake, looking at where Ruby was pointing on the map. "The most unknown part of an almost unexplored continent. And with a delightful name. As for going to Beacon, it's a dangerous undertaking against huge odds, with little chance of success. We will probably all die horribly."

"But you're in, right?" said Yang.

"Of course."

"Ah, I love it when you're feisty," said Yang.

Blake smiled. Weiss and Ruby rolled their eyes.

Ren said: "Ruby, you said that Salem will be distracted. What do you mean?"

"She still wants the Relic of Knowledge," said Ruby. "She'll make a play for it."

"While it is on its way to Atlas?" said Nora.

"What makes you think," said Ruby with a little smile, "that the relic is on its way to Atlas?"

RWBY

"Let's go," said Hazel. "We should get as far away from Haven as possible."

The others, hungry and tired, trudged after him.

If they had looked into the trees above them they might have seen a crow staring at them. Then again, they might not have.

RWBY

"I don't know, I just feel really confused and uncertain," said Yang. She was lying in bed, wide awake, in the Haven Academy room she was currently sharing with her sister.

"Uh-huh, confused and uncertain," mumbled Ruby from her bed. "Please go on."

"I mean, I really hated her for running off to Menagerie. Let's face it, after the Battle of Beacon the team was a mess. I'd lost an arm, Weiss had been taken away by her father, you were down for a pretty long count. We needed her stability and her strength. She has always been our anchor. The sensible, cool-headed one. I know I can be too quick on the temper side, sometimes, and Weiss is not sure where she fits in, and you're, well, you. If she'd been there to say, look, it's going to work out, everything will be fine, you'll see, then it would have all been much easier.

"But she wasn't there for us, and I was really angry. Now when I look back I realise that it wasn't just that I felt she had let the team down, I felt she had left me. I didn't know what I felt for her until suddenly she was gone. Yes, I understand a bit more now about why she left, and all the stuff with White Fang, but at the time all I could feel was this huge hole in my chest.

"I'm still not sure what I feel. Would it have been better if she had not come back? You know, that kiss just came out of nowhere, I didn't expect it and it was a totally inappropriate place for something like that. But, damn, it felt good. But it raises about a million other questions, and I don't know the answer to any of them. Does she feel the same? Am I just making a fool of myself? Can we still be team-mates? Should I have said that thing about her being feisty? I don't have any answers.

"Well, thanks for listening, Ruby. It's good to talk to someone about it. You're a wonderful sister."

But Ruby had fallen asleep after 'please go on'.

Meanwhile, in the room shared by Blake and Weiss, Blake was staring at the ceiling. "Why do I feel so confused and uncertain?" she said. "Is she interested or not? Am I? Should I be? What did the 'feisty' thing mean? What do you think, Weiss?"

"Oh cake butler, I love you most of all," said Weiss.

"Uh, what?" said Blake. "Weiss, are you awake?"

"Of all the butlers," Weiss mumbled. She began to snore a little.

Blake could not help but smile. _Even asleep, my friends are weird_ , she said to herself.

RWBY

It was an hour later when Weiss awoke from her dreams of another life. She thought about things for a while. Then she got out of bed and pulled her coat on, and left the room.

A few minutes later, she was knocking on the door of Jaune's room.

He opened it; he had obviously been working, she could see papers, schedules and reports spread over the floor.

"Hi," she said.

END (to be continued)

* * *

 **Different Directions**

"Is this because of the Aura thing?" said Jaune, as Weiss handed him a morning cup of coffee.

"Because you saved my life, you mean?" she said, lying back against the pillow of Jaune's bed and sipping from her own cup. "I'm not saying I'm not grateful and everything, but no, that's not really it. I wanted to do it, and I'm glad that you did too."

"But at Beacon you always shot me down. In flames."

"Well, the guitar thing was really ... trying way too hard. But Beacon was a long time ago. We've all grown up a lot since then. I'm different, you're different. I suppose a series of life-and-death encounters will do that."

"But you're a Schnee."

She laughed. "In name only," she said. "I am sure my dear stepfather would have legally kicked me out of the family firm by now. A pity, really, because I would have liked to one day take over the company and start putting right all the things he did wrong. But in the big picture defeating Salem is the more important battle. Daddy will have to wait."

Jaune considered. "I suppose that you want to keep ... this ... secret," he said.

"Why would I want that?"

"Because, uh, well, I just thought ... you would."

"Nope. I am entirely happy for the others to know, if that happens. I'm not sure if you and I will want to take it any further – I'm just about to take a ride into the jaws of Hell, after all, and might not come back – but that's our decision, no-one else's. As for secrets, I am quite happy for us to go to breakfast with the others – together. If you are, that is. Are you?"

Jaune thought about it. "I guess ... I'm alright with that," he said.

Weiss smiled. "Actually, I think you've got the hardest job," she said. "Just handling Oz will be a huge task."

"You think he needs to be handled?"

"I guess you'll find out. Anyway, let's go to breakfast. But first ... kiss me. And the rest."

RWBY

"Are you informing me of your intentions," said Ozpin, "or asking my permission?"

"Bit from column A, bit from column B," said Ruby.

"I cannot say," said Ozpin, "that I am in any way happy with all of this."

"I didn't think you would be. But look at this way. Salem knows you, knows what you would do. She's been two moves ahead of us so far. We have to change that."

"And me stepping back might do it, is that what you are saying?"

"Not necessarily how I might put it, but ... yes."

They were on the balcony outside the Haven Academy dining hall. The others were at the table, eating breakfast. Ruby glanced at them. She was a little surprised to see Jaune and Weiss enter together, and sit side-by-side. They both looked a little flushed, and happy. Huh, thought Ruby.

Ozpin said: "And are you going to tell me where the relic actually is?"

Ruby thought about it. "Uh, hmm ... er ... no," she said. "If you don't know, then Salem or any of her people can't get it out of you."

He considered. "I do not know if you are being wisely careful or carefully manipulative," he said.

She smiled. "But you can be sure that the relic is safe," she said. "There's more than one way to hide something. And there is something else. Haven is still in danger. You are needed here to protect it."

He raised an eyebrow. "You mean ... ?" he said.

"Yes," said Ruby. "Cinder is still alive. Or at least not dead. That was my third question to the relic. If she returns, somehow, only you can stop her."

Ozpin was quiet for a long time. Then Oscar re-emerged. "He is not a happy ... whatever he is," said Oscar.

"I know, and it's good to have you back," said Ruby. "Let's eat. I believe Ren made pancakes."

RWBY

The small Nevermore, the size of a hawk, landed on a branch next to Hazel, Mercury, Emerald and Adam. There was a message tied around its leg. Hazel took hold of the bird and removed the note.

He read aloud: _You have failed me, all of you. But you still have chance to redeem yourselves. Retrieve the Relic of Knowledge and bring it to me. If you cannot accomplish this simple task, do not come back – if you value your souls._

There was a set of instructions and co-ordinates indicating the location of the crashed Atlas transport.

The four of them looked at each other. "So once you work for Salem, you work for her forever," said Emerald.

"Yes," said Hazel. "Unless she decides otherwise."

"There is a fishing village on the coast," said Adam. "I have some contacts there. We will be able to get a boat."

The Nevermore landed on Hazel's shoulder. "And now she is with us," said the big man.

They set off.

Behind them, a crow started back to Haven.

RWBY

"Does your team have a name?" said Ruby to Nora.

"We decided on Team VALIANT," said Nora. "It's better than anything you can spell with N, I, S and R. Although we considered SINR."

Ruby smiled. "VALIANT sounds fine," she said.

They were at the airship port of Mistral, waiting for the airships that would take them to Vacuo and Vale. Qrow came up to them. He nodded to Ruby.

He turned to Nora. "I didn't tell you how impressed I was that you fought Rainart to a standstill and then some," he said. "Guy's a juggernaut."

"I'd prefer to do that again than be team leader," said Nora.

"You'll be fine," said Qrow. "And if you run into a problem, hit it with your hammer."

"That, I can do," said Nora.

RWBY

Ilia went up to Yang, and drew her away from the others.

"Take care of your team-mates," said Ilia. "Especially ... her."

Yang stared at her.

"You know, we were ... together ... for a while, when we were younger," said Ilia softly. "When I returned to Menagerie from Atlas and joined the White Fang. I wanted ... I wanted her to be in love with me, just a little. But ... it didn't happen. Now she looks at you the way I wanted her to look at me. So ... take care of her."

She wiped a tear from her eye. Then her voice hardened. "And if you hurt her," she said, "I'll kill you."

Then she turned and walked away, leaving Yang staring after her.

Weiss came up to Yang. "What was that about?" she said, nodding after Ilia.

"A message from someone with a broken heart," said Yang.

The airships were preparing to lift off. Time to go.

RWBY

Team VALIANT walked out of the shed that passed for the airship terminal of Vacuo. They looked around at the dusty, ramshackle buildings of the town. There were plenty of people about but the atmosphere was a long way from one of comfortable prosperity.

"Ah, the sweet smell of home," said Sun. "It reminds me of ... why I left."

"Rough-looking place," said Ren.

"Yeah, the idea of a police force, with courts and jails and all that stuff, hasn't really taken off here," said Sun. "The only real source of authority is Shade Academy."

"Ah, a welcoming committee," said Ilia. She nodded towards a group of six toughs who were heading their way. "How do you want to play it, Nora?"

Nora started. "Uh, er, let me think ... um – " she stammered.

The toughs confronted them. "New arrivals," said the biggest one, the leader. "You have to pay the toll before you can stay in Vacuo. And the toll is all the lien you've got."

"We aren't looking for trouble," said Ren. "We have business at Shade Academy."

The tough laughed. "Should have guessed," he said. He drew an ugly-looking blade. The others drew various weapons as well.

Nora gave a grunt. "My handsome colleague here is mistaken," she growled. "Trouble is exactly what we're looking for. I'm guessing that once we – by which I mean me – take you down we won't be bothered by anyone else."

The tough laughed again. "You?" he said. "Little you?"

Nora gave another, angrier growl.

"Wrong thing to say, friend," muttered Ren. "She doesn't like being called little."

Sun was drawing his staff. Ren put a hand on his arm to stop him. "Not needed," he said softly.

Nora looked the big guy in the eye. "Let's go," she said.

The guy charged.

Nora swivelled and put a foot out, and the guy went over, and Nora chopped him on the neck as he fell. At the same time, she morphed her hammer into combat mode. As two of the others guys came at her, she swung, and sent them flying. She swivelled again and kicked out, whacking into another guy, sending him down. Another one punched out at her but she blocked the blow – and then brought her hammer down onto his foot. He shouted in pain.

The leader was starting to get up. Ilia put a foot on his neck. "If I was you," she said, "I would stay down."

The guy looked at Nora, who was casually holding her hammer on her shoulder. She gave a little laugh at the fellow who was hopping about, holding his broken toes.

The leader decided he would take Ilia's advice.

Nora gestured to the guy who was still standing. "You," she said. "Give us directions to Shade Academy."

"Shade? Uh, yeah, right. You follow this road and then turn left and go over the hill," he said.

"There, now that wasn't so hard, was it?" said Nora. "Oh, you guys might want to think about finding another business. Some people don't like the toll concept."

She morphed the hammer back into its carry-case form and led her team away.

"Welcome to Vacuo," said Sun.

END (to be continued)

* * *

 **Strange Reunions**

"Well, at least they're talking to each other," said Weiss to Ruby as the four members of Team RWBY left the airship that had brought them to Vale.

"Now the problem is going to be to get them to shut up," said Ruby, watching Yang and Blake chatter like a pair of schoolgirls.

Blake came up to Ruby. "Well, fearless leader, what do we do now?" she said. "As in, where do we lay our heads tonight?"

"Uh, what?" said Ruby.

"It's getting late and we need to get some rest," said Weiss.

"Uh, as team leader and mission strategist I can say that I don't do that level of detail," pronounced Ruby.

"Meaning you don't have any idea," said Yang.

"Well, um, that might indeed be the case," said Ruby.

Weiss sighed. "I stayed in a guesthouse when I first came to Vale, to attend Beacon," she said. "We can get some rooms there."

So they set off for it. Vale seemed noticeably quieter: presumably, the battle – and now the presence of a huge number of Grimm at Beacon Academy – had induced quite a few people to leave. Some buildings were still unrepaired but there were stores open and people on the streets.

"I've got a great idea," said Yang. "We should go to that nightclub tonight. Junior's."

"Isn't that the place you wrecked?" said Weiss.

"Oh, I'm sure they've forgotten all about that," said Yang.

"We are here on an important and dangerous mission," said Ruby. "Not to dance and drink and have a good time."

"I'm voting for the dancing, drinking and good time," said Blake.

The others looked at her.

"What?" she said.

"I have to say that I'm inclined to the nightclub concept as well," said Weiss. "After all, it's been a while since we had any fun. Ruby, you're outvoted. But if you want you can stay at the guesthouse and ... oh, I don't know, plan something."

Ruby drew herself up to her full, if not very impressive, height. She said: "As leader, I have an obligation to ensure that you three do not make complete drunken fools of yourselves. So ... I will accompany you."

"Then ... no drunken foolishness?" said Yang.

"We can but hope," said Blake.

So after checking in to two rooms at the guesthouse they set off for Junior's. They were almost there when they saw, through a gap between buildings, the wrecked tower of Beacon Academy. In the light of the moon, they could see the dragon, still frozen on a pillar. There were Gryphons and Giant Nevermores perched all over the tower and the roofs of the Academy buildings. A lot of them.

"So the plan is to get past all the Grimm, get up there, and kill the dragon, is it?" said Yang.

"Uh, yes," said Ruby.

"Right, just checking," said Yang.

"Ruby, I don't suppose you remember what you did last time, to freeze it?" said Weiss.

"Er, no. Sorry."

They came to the entrance of the nightclub. The door attendant stared at them.

"Hi!" said Yang.

"Oh no," said the attendant. He spoke into his radio: "Emergency, Code Yellow! She's back!"

"Forgotten all about it, eh?" muttered Weiss.

In a moment, half-a-dozen guys came bursting out of the club. They pulled out guns and pointed them at Yang. Then Junior, the club manager, appeared. He looked at Yang and said: "You again. Have you come to engage in more wanton destruction?"

"Hey, you hit me with a club, and fired missiles at me!"

"Because you beat most of my employees senseless!"

"They were senseless before I beat them!"

Junior seemed unimpressed, and disinclined to let them in.

"How about if we promise to keep her under control?" said Weiss.

"And just how do you intend to do that?" said Junior.

"Uh, well, hmm ... yes, I see your point," said Weiss.

A woman's voice came from behind them. "They're with us," it said.

They all turned to see who had spoken.

Coco Adel. With Fox Alistair.

Coco grinned her impish grin.

Yang said: "Son of a ... !"

Blake said: "Gosh."

"Hmm," said Junior. "Well, in that case, Coco, if you vouch for them ... " He and his men stood aside.

The six of them found a relatively quiet booth, and Fox told the waiter to bring 'the usual'.

"Well, this is a surprise," said Ruby. "No, that doesn't really say it. Not even close."

"Is the rest of Team Coffee alright?" said Weiss.

"Yes, and we've been trying to keep the number of Grimm down," said Coco. "For a while we were fighting on the road that the Grimm were using to get to Beacon. That kept them back long enough for Glynda to construct a barricade. Since then, we've been trying to keep the Grimm at Beacon from coming into Vale. Dusted quite a few."

"How many?" said Yang.

"I,763," said Fox. "Of various types."

"Whoa," said Weiss. "That must be some sort of record."

Coco shrugged.

The drinks arrived. Ruby picked hers up and stared at it. "This," she said, "is not milk."

"True, but you're probably ready for a grown-up drink," said Yang.

"Guess we'll find out," said Weiss.

"Here's a toast," said Yang. "To 1,763 fewer problems."

They drank. Ruby burst into a fit of coughing and spluttering.

"Leadership in action," said Yang, whacking her sister on the back.

Blake was staring at the people on the dance floor.

"Um ... " she said.

They all looked at her. She turned a little red. "Uh ... " she said.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" said Weiss. "So ask her already!"

"Yangwouldyouliketodance," blurted Blake. "Uh, with me, I mean. I mean, _with_ me."

"Damn straight I would," said Yang. In a moment she had grabbed Blake's hand and led her to the dance floor.

Weiss was looking around. "Hey, that guy over there looks sort of cute," she said. She got out of the booth and went over to him and a few moments later they were on the dance floor.

"This is not how I remember Team RWBY," said Fox, watching Yang and Blake dancing close.

"Well, you know, stuff happens," said Ruby.

"We would like to hear it," said Coco.

So Ruby began to recount the various adventures of the four of them.

RWBY

Deep below the vault of Haven Academy, in the darkness, on a floor of black rock, a small pool of water was forming, as ice melted slowly.

A single eye blinked.

RWBY

"Well, that's quite a bit nicer than the rest of Vacuo," said Ren. "Uh, no offence, Sun."

"None taken," said Sun. "You know, Vacuo used to be a much better place to live, once upon a time. Or so I heard. But the war, and decades of Dust mining ... well, now it's what you see."

"But this is pleasant," said Ilia. She and the others were looking at the garden that surrounded the buildings of Shade Academy. Flowers, well-tended shrubs and, a bit further away, a burgeoning vegetable patch.

A dumpy, middle-aged woman in dirty overalls came over to them.

"Hi," said Nora. "Can you tell us how to find the principal?"

The woman gave her some instructions. But she was looking at Ilia.

Nora thanked the woman and the team set off.

"That was ... a bit strange," said Ilia.

"What was strange?" said Ren. "We asked her for directions and she gave them to us."

"Mmm," said Ilia.

They were almost at the office when they heard someone call out. Two young women came up to them. Nebula Violette and Octavia Ember, of Team NDGO.

"Hi," said Nebula. "Haven't seen you guys since ... that thing. What brings you to charming Vacuo?"

Nora gave a quick explanation. Nebula offered to introduce them to the principal, and they went into the office together.

The Principal of Shade Academy was an elderly man called Doctor Sweep. He was obviously busy – his desk was groaning under the weight of papers – but he listened carefully to what Team VALIANT had to say.

"Sorry, but I can't help you," he said. "You have to go a long way back in the history books to find any mention of the Winter Maiden."

"How about a relic?" said Ren. "There is supposed to be one at each Academy. In a vault."

"We don't have a vault," said Doctor Sweep. "You must understand that Shade has much less in the way of resources than the other academies. And students as well. Only about ten currently enrolled. Nebula and Octavia here have been good enough to take up teaching positions – unpaid, unfortunately. Although obviously the term has not started yet."

"How about Team BRNZ?" said Sun.

"They, with the other members of Team NDGO, are currently doing patrol duty in the north. We are seeing increasing amounts of Grimm activity there, and they are doing what they can to keep it under control."

"No vault," murmured Ren.

"No," said Doctor Sweep. "We have a basement, though. We use it mainly to store old furniture and stuff. Like I told the other fellow a few days ago."

"Uh, what other fellow?" said Nora.

"The fellow who was doing academic research. Tall, well-dressed, interested in everything. Very disappointed that I couldn't do anything for him."

"Uh, his name wouldn't have been Watts, would it?" said Ren.

"Yes, Arthur Watts. Do you know him?"

"In a manner of speaking," said Sun.

Team VALIANT exchanged glances. This was not a good development.

Doctor Sweep told them that they were welcome to stay at the Academy. Nebula and Octavia showed them to some vacant rooms. The two women were very interested to hear of events since the Battle of Beacon and wanted to continue the discussion over lunch. They headed for the mess hall but Ilia said she would meet them there later. Something she wanted to do, she said.

Ilia went back to the garden. She liked the sense of growth, the variety of what was there. She saw the gardener and went over to her.

"I thought you would be back," said the woman.

"Why were you looking at me before?" said Ilia.

The woman smiled. "I'm old enough to know a troubled soul when I see one," she said.

Ilia stared at her. "Maybe," she said.

"Dear, do you know the best remedy for trouble? Dirt."

"Uh, dirt?"

"Dirt. There's some seedlings over there, ready to go in. Grab a spade and get digging."

As they worked, digging and planting, Ilia found herself talking. About Blake, about White Fang, about Team VALIANT, about everything. Even about Salem.

"Salem," murmured the gardener. "Her."

"You know about Salem?"

The woman said nothing. She continued to put seedlings into the ground.

It began to grow dark. "I should go and meet up with my friends," said Ilia. She handed the woman her spade.

"Come again tomorrow," said the woman.

Ilia found the others in the mess hall. She told them how she had spent the afternoon. "That woman, the gardener," she said. "She ... she knows a lot of things."

"She is an institution here at Shade," said Octavia. "And the wisest person I have ever met."

RWBY

The little boat ran onto the beach of the island and Hazel, Emerald, Mercury and Adam jumped out. The Nevermore flew to a nearby tree and perched there. Hazel said they would make camp before setting out for the crash site next day.

As they ate a meal made with supplies from the boat, Mercury said: "Hazel, I'm sorry that you lost your sister. I ... we ... didn't know."

"I don't understand much about families but I'm sure it was very hard for you," added Emerald.

Hazel stared at them. "Thank you," he said. "No-one has ever said that before."

"Well, you do look a ... bit intimidating," said Emerald. "But at least people take you seriously."

"Have you considered wearing less revealing clothing?" said Adam. "Not that I am complaining."

Emerald, with a smile, flipped him a finger.

Hazel gave a little chuckle.

 _Never heard that before_ , thought Mercury.

END (to be continued)

* * *

 **Flower Duet**

Jaune leaned back in the principal's chair. Despite his early doubts about his ability to do the job he felt that the Academy year had got off to a good start. The new crop of fresh-faced students had even seemed to like his welcoming address. The teachers and staff had accepted him. And local scroll communication was again possible.

"It seems that some of the students are unclear as to where Oscar fits into the school administration," said Ozpin. "That is not necessarily a bad thing. I have no desire for the wider world to know that I am still alive. Or alive again."

"I've put him on the employee list as an apprentice cook," said Jaune.

"An apprentice cook?" said Ozpin. "Well, I suppose it could be worse. It has been."

There was a knock at the door. Commander Daltoni, head of the Mistral Police Force, came in. "You asked me to notify you about anything weirder than normal," she said to Jaune. "I don't know if a minor case of stealing fruit from a stall qualifies, but, well, you decide." She gestured for one of her officers to bring someone in.

They did. The person was filthy and bedraggled. Her dress had once been an elegant red but now was ripped and muddy, and she was missing a shoe. She had only one arm and her face was disfigured. She stared at them. At once, Jaune and Ozpin were on their feet, weapons drawn.

Cinder.

But not Cinder.

The woman just looked at them, her face blank.

"Thank you, Commander," said Jaune to Daltoni. "We'll take it from here."

RWBY

"I guess this trip didn't really work out," said Ren. "No Maiden. I guess the Knowledge Relic was mistaken."

"And no relic," said Sun.

"Nevertheless," said Nora, "we should check out the vault. Er, I mean the basement. Just in case."

"We'll take you to the basement, but unless you like broken chairs you won't find it very interesting," said Nebula.

"And isn't there a clause about only a Maiden being able to open whatever it is that holds the relic?" said Octavia.

"Yeah, something like that," said Nora.

"Where's your friend?" said Nebula as she led the way to the basement.

"She said she wanted to see the gardener woman again, to say goodbye before we leave," said Sun.

At that moment, Ilia was planting the last of the seedlings. "How do you get everything to grow so well?" she said. "Vacuo seems to be mainly dust and, er, more dust."

"I have a secret method," said the woman. She held her hand over the seedlings, and in a few moments there was a miniature shower of rain from her palm.

Ilia gave a gasp.

She stared at the woman. "You," she said.

"Yes," said the woman. "Now come with me. I have something to give you."

She led the way to a shack at the back of the garden – her home. They went in. The woman went to a rickety little table. One of its legs was broken. It was propped up by an old book. The woman removed it and handed it to Ilia.

Ilia looked at the cover. " _The Book of Relics_ ," she read. "What ... what does it say? What does it mean?"

"The former Winter Maiden gave it to me many years ago, when I was young, told me it was important," said the woman. "As for what it says, I don't know. I can't read. Never learned. Maybe it will be important to you and your friends. I can find something else to hold up my table."

"Th ... thank you," said Ilia. "Uh, I do not know your name."

The woman smiled. "Ochre," she said.

She walked out of the shack and looked towards the Academy.

"We have to go," she said.

RWBY

Nora and the others were looking through the junk in the basement.

"You know, this place is pretty big," said Ren. "It's possible that it was once a vault. Or something."

"Well, there is certainly nothing here like what Yang described in the Haven vault," said Sun. "Some of this stuff has been here for a very long time."

"Maybe ... maybe we're looking at things the wrong way," said Nora. "Maybe it's not something elaborate and tricky. Maybe it's something that would blend in with a heap of junk."

The others stared at her. Then they started looking again – for something that looked like a piece of junk.

"How about this?" said Sun, hauling a battered wooden box out of the corner. "There's probably nothing in it but cobwebs, but we should take a look." He tried to open it but the lid would not budge.

"Ah," said a voice from the doorway. Doctor Arthur Watts. "Aren't you the clever ones. You see, Tyrian, I told you that a policy of waiting and watching would pay dividends."

Tyrian Callows gave a psychotic snicker. "So now I can kill them, right?" he said to Watts.

"We'll see, we'll see," said Watts.

"I'm assuming these guys are not friends of yours," said Nebula, drawing her crossbow/sword. Octavia drew her _kris_ dagger.

"Not by a very long shot," said Nora, as she morphed her hammer into combat mode.

"You know, we don't have to fight," said Watts to Nora. "You can simply hand over the relic and we'll be on our way."

"No!" snarled Tyrian. "I really want to kill them! Especially those two." He pointed at Nora and Ren. "We have unfinished business."

"Damn right we do," growled Nora.

"As I recall, last time ended with you getting your tail cut off," said Ren.

"Oh, these are those fellows, eh?" said Watts to Tyrian. "Well, try not to lose it again, my friend."

Tyrian snarled. Watts opened his coat. There was an array of items in various pockets there. "Hmm," he said. "I think ... let me see ... ah, these ones." He took out something that look like a pocket-watch and an object that looked like a large fountain pen.

In a moment, the pocket-watch had morphed into a large, transparent shield, and the pen had becomes a slender but evil-looking pistol.

"Let's rock!" shouted Nora. She charged forward and swung her hammer at Watts. He took the impact on the shield; the blow did no damage but the force of it pushed him back a few steps.

"My," he said to Nora. "Aren't you a feisty one."

Nora swivelled and swung again, forcing Watts to turn his shield towards her.

"Nebula, now!" shouted Nora.

A crossbow arrow shot across the room and hit Watts in the shoulder. But it failed to penetrate. The coat was somehow armoured. Watts turned and fired at Nebula. The gun shot a stream of needle-like darts. Nebula turned her crossbow into a sword and deflected the darts.

Octavia swept her dagger through the air. It sent a fiery shockwave at Watts. But it had no effect against his shield. Nebula fired a volley of arrows but none got through.

Tyrian was running around the walls of the room, charging at Ren and Sun. Ren was firing at him but Tryian was too fast a target. He smashed into Ren, sending him down – and then was whacked in the face by Sun's staff. It had little effect: Tyrian gave his maniacal laugh.

Sun continued to strike, morphing his staff into its nunchaku form. He drove his opponent across the room, Tyrian giggling the whole time. Tyrian extended his wrist-blades, parrying the attack. Then, in a blur of movement, he kicked out, knocking Sun back.

Sun and Ren got to their feet. "He's fast, I have to give him that," muttered Sun.

"Fortunately, in this room he cannot use his speed and agility very well," said Ren. "But, yes, he is hard to hit effectively."

"The question is, which of you should I kill first?" snarled Tyrian.

And then he was hit by a shockwave from Octavia. He was flung to the other side of the basement.

"Nice going," said Sun to Octavia.

"But it won't keep him down for long," she said.

Watts pulled something else from his coat: a small bottle. He threw it, and there was a blinding roar. Nora and the others were knocked off their feet.

"Now, we finish this," said Watts, raising his needle-gun.

"I don't think so," said another voice. "You are on my ground now."

Ochre. She raised a hand, and there was a storm of massive hailstones. Tyrian and Watts were driven back. From Ochre's other hand there was a hurricane wind. They were pushed back further, as Watts tried to use his shield to protect them.

Tyrian broke away and made a charge for the box. And then a whip snapped around his ankle. It pulled him back, throwing him against a wall.

Ilia retracted the whip into its handle.

"Ah," said Tyrian, looking at her. "Now, you, you I like."

"Just give us the relic!" shouted Watts, as Ochre's storm ceased.

Ochre stared at him. "So that's what this is about?" she said. "Why do you think it is here?"

"Because ... there's a relic-holder!" said Watts, pointing at the box. "Not a very fancy one, I admit, but that's what it is, I think."

Ochre picked up the box and put it on a broken table.

"Only a Maiden can open it," said Watts.

"I suppose that's true, in a way," said Ochre. She took a little key from her pocket, inserted it into the lock, and pulled the lid open.

Everyone peered in.

Empty.

"The Creation Relic isn't here," said Ochre. "It was gone when I became the Winter Maiden, and that was a long time ago."

"Ah," said Watts. "Well, that's disappointing. Very disappointing. Hmm, I suppose we may as well be on our way, then." He took a fist-sized stone from his pocket.

"No, I want to kill someone first!" cried Tyrian. His scorpion tail lanced towards Nora.

Then Tyrian gave a shout of pain. His tail had been intercepted by Ren's razor-boomerang. The stinger fell to the floor. "Ow ow OW!" said Tyrian.

"Thanks," said Nora.

"My pleasure," said Ren.

"Oh dear," said Watts. "Tyrian, you really should look after that appendage more." He raised the stone, and a portal appeared. He and Tyrian – still whimpering – jumped through and were gone.

"Handy things, those portals," said Sun.

Ochre sagged down, onto an unsteady chair. "I'm getting too old for this sort of thing," she said. "I'm not exactly twenty-one anymore."

"So you are the Winter Maiden," said Octavia. "That explains much."

Ochre nodded. "And a gardener," she said. "I never knew why the former Maiden passed her powers to me. But I have always felt that my role has been to watch over Shade Academy."

"Was the Creation Relic ever here?" said Nora.

"Yes, it was, but one day, many years ago, a group of people came and spoke to the Maiden. They took it away," said Ochre. "I heard them saying that they would be able to keep it safe."

"What people?" said Sun. "Where were they from?"

"I don't know. But they wore uniforms. There was a general in command. There was another fellow I remember, a major, he was tall and very handsome. I never heard his name. He had a mechanical arm."

Nora, Ren and Sun exchanged glances. Tall, handsome, mechanical arm. Not many people fitted that description.

"Tell us something," said Nora. "The relic. What does it look like?"

"It is a flower," said Ochre. "In a glass vase. A chrysanthemum."

A chrysanthemum.

END (to be continued)

* * *

 **The Long Road Back**

"Oh ... dear," groaned Ruby, holding her head. "Oh ... my."

"Shut up and drink your coffee," said Yang. She was not in a particularly good mood.

They were sitting at their old outdoor cafe in Vale. Weiss and Blake appeared and sat down.

"Yang, how many drinks did she have before she conked out?" said Weiss, looking at Ruby. "Six, seven?"

"Two-and-a-half," said Yang.

"Really?" said Ruby. "I could have sworn it was more."

"How much do you remember about the nightclub last night?" said Blake.

"Uh ... " said Ruby.

"Do you remember asking Coco and Fox if Yatsuhashi Daichi was seeing anyone?" said Weiss.

"Oh ... dear," said Ruby again. "I did that?"

"Several times, as I recall. I think you kept forgetting the answer," said Weiss. She laughed.

"You guys are enjoying this hangover way too much," said Ruby.

"Why, yes," said Blake. "Yes, we are."

"By the way," said Ruby, "what was the answer?"

"He's not," said Weiss. "But he's, like, twice your size. You would have to stand on a chair to look him in the face."

A waiter brought a bag filled with ice cubes. Gingerly, Ruby placed it on top of her head.

"Do you remember me carrying you home?" said Yang. "And you woke up just long enough to plead with me to stay with you. Which I did." She frowned. "Not really where I wanted to be," she muttered. She glanced at Blake.

Blake shrugged and smiled. "I'm not going anywhere," she said.

Coco appeared, with Glynda. "Thanks for the invite, Yang," said Coco.

"It's good to have scroll communication again, even if it's just local," said Yang. "You're looking very well, Professor Goodwitch."

Indeed, Glynda was looking fine. Her long hair was hanging in a loose braid instead of being severely tied back, and the clothes she was wearing did not have the restricting tightness of what she had had before.

"It is good to be back in the field, even under these circumstances," she said. "And it is good to see you all again. You might as well call me Glynda, academic titles don't matter much at the moment."

"Coco said that you erected a barricade to stop more Grimm getting in," said Weiss.

"Yes, a bit of an obstruction," said Glynda.

Coco laughed. "It's a goddamn cliff, popping up in the middle of nowhere!" she said.

"Maybe a small cliff," said Glynda. "But in any case everything we have done so far, keeping more Grimm from coming and keeping those here out of Vale, amounts to little more than a holding action. And of course Salem is watching."

"Salem might have other things on her mind," said Ruby. "It means we have an opportunity to take back Beacon. So we're going after the dragon."

Glynda started. "Do you have a plan?" she said.

"The beginnings of one," said Ruby.

"How much?" said Yang.

"Er, uh, a third, perhaps. No, maybe just a quarter. I did some dot-points on a napkin but I, um, lost it."

"We will all, no doubt, die horribly," said Blake.

"That's not impossible, I admit," said Ruby.

"Uh, Ruby," said Glynda. "Why do you have an ice-bag on your head?"

"Hangover," put in Yang. "So we should speak softly."

"Ha!" said Weiss, loudly.

"Please don't do that," said Ruby, rubbing her temples.

Coco's scroll beeped. She took it out and looked at it. "It's Yatsu," she said. "There's an attack forming up in what used to be Midway Plaza, a big one," she said. "If you guys want to join us, we could use the help."

Yang, Blake and Weiss stood up. "Let's go," said Yang, cocking her gauntlets. "I feel like killing things."

They looked at Ruby, who had not moved. "Must I?" she said.

Yang and Blake lifted her out of her chair. "Come along now, fearless leader," said Blake.

RWBY

By the time they reached Midway Plaza, there was a crowd of Grimm creatures massed on the other side.

"Tell me something," said Ruby. "Is it just the ground ones that attack like this, or do the flying ones do it too?"

"Some Gryphons, usually, but not the Giant Nevermores," said Velvet. "They tend to stay near the tower, around the dragon. The only time they left it was when we tried to mount a counter-attack in the Garden Quadrant."

"Hey, Velvet," said Weiss. "If you want to take a photo of my sword, feel free." The other members of Team RWBY nodded.

"Oh, that would be great!" said Velvet. She took out her camera pack and snapped pictures.

"Here they come!" said Fox.

A huge herd of Grimm was charging across the plaza.

"There's ... a lot of them," said Yang.

"Then let's thin 'em out a bit," said Coco. She morphed her bag into her big gun, and Velvet created a copy of it. Together, they fired. Yang added her shots to the fusillade. The heavy bullets hacked into the crowd but the Grimm kept coming. There was a half-dozen Gryphons as well, screeching, coming in low.

"Hmm," said Ruby.

"Not really a good time for 'hmm'," said Blake, as she readied Gambol Shroud.

The first wave was almost on them. Ruby extended Crescent Rose and swept it through a trio of Beowolfs. At the same time, next to her, Yatsuhashi plunged his sword into first one and then another Beringel.

Ruby looked up at him. "Unhh," she said.

"Do you want me to get you that chair?" said Weiss to Ruby, as she fired bolts of fire at the wave of Grimm.

They were all fighting now, with Glynda shooting explosive energy into the throng. Velvet's copy of Coco's gun had faded but she had generated a copy of Yang's gauntlets and was using them to great effect.

A Gryphon, a large one, came swooping in.

"Weiss, take that one down!" said Ruby.

Weiss fired a volley of ice bolts at the creature. With its wings frozen, it ploughed into the ground. But it managed to get up, and began to snap at them.

Yang aimed her gauntlets at it. But then Ruby knocked her aside, and her shot missed.

"Hey, what – !?" said Yang.

"Weiss, finish it!" shouted Ruby.

"I get it," said Blake. "Weiss, grab on!" She threw Gambol Shroud out, and Weiss caught hold of it. With an effort, Blake pivoted and swung, and Weiss went sailing onto the back of the Gryphon. She switched her sword to fire mode, and then, with a shout, plunged it into the creature's neck.

Fire and ice.

The Gryphon exploded into ashes. Weiss dropped to the ground. She dusted herself off.

The Grimm attack was beginning to waver. Ruby and Yatsuhashi charged into the middle on the crowd, slashing left and right. Coco and Glynda were hacking more Gryphons out of the sky. Fox and Velvet, now wielding a copy of Weiss' sword, were turning back an attack on one flank, and Weiss and Blake were covering the other.

Almost suddenly, the remaining Grimm began to retreat. In a few moments, they had returned to Beacon.

"Well," said Yang. "That was ... that was ... well, damn."

"Quite so," said Yatsuhashi.

"Unfortunately, they are getting smarter and more organised in their attacks," said Glynda. "At some point they will break through, and get into Vale."

"Then we had better make our move soon," said Ruby.

Suddenly, Blake gave a groan. She fell, holding her abdomen.

She was bleeding from a deep wound. "It was that last Beringel," she said. "It gave me a whack just before I took it down. But I've had worse than this."

Glynda, kneeling beside Blake, examined the injury. "Your Aura will heal you but it will take a day or two," she said, as Fox produced an emergency pressure bandage from his pack and applied it. "Until then, stay as still as possible. No strenuous exercise."

"Huh," said Yang. "Hey, does that include – "

"No strenuous exercise," repeated Glynda.

"Damn, I can never catch a break," muttered Yang.

"We have won the day, but I have a question," said Yatsuhashi. They all looked at him. "What was that thing about the chair?" he said.

RWBY

"What is the last thing you remember?" said Jaune.

Cinder – the woman who had once been Cinder – was tearing into a plate of food that Oscar, apprentice cook, had brought from the kitchen.

She stopped eating. "Darkness," she rasped. "Cold. I remember seeing a patch of light, like the end of a tunnel. Before that, I remember ... a woman. A woman with black hair. I ... I ... I ... remember falling ... falling for a long time ... "

"Do you remember your name?" said Oscar/Ozpin.

The woman stared at them. Her one eye began to fill with tears. "I ... I don't!" she said, her voice little more than a hoarse whisper. "Do ... do you know? Can you help me?"

"We'll try," said Jaune. "For the moment, eat up. There's more if you want it."

Ozpin led Jaune away, into another part of the room. "If she's faking, she's certainly doing a good job of it," said Jaune.

"But we cannot simply let her walk around," said Ozpin. "Her memory could return at any moment. And she is a very powerful creature."

"Well, we're not going to simply kill her, if that's what you're thinking," said Jaune.

"But – "

"No," said Jaune. "Just ... no." He returned to Cinder. "I'll see if I can find you some clean clothes and a proper pair of shoes," he said to her. "I'll find you a room so you can clean up and rest, there are some spare ones."

"Thank you," said Cinder. "But ... why are you helping me?"

Jaune considered. "Because," he said eventually, "you need help."

END (to be continued)

* * *

 **The Game Is Afoot**

"Your plan entails considerable danger," said Glynda. The others nodded.

"Very considerable," said Yatsuhashi.

"It's everything or nothing, alright," said Yang.

They were looking at the diagrams, notes and maps covered with hand-drawn markings that Ruby had spread out over the table of the guesthouse dining room. She had spent the afternoon explaining what she had in mind.

"I know," she said. "But really, is there an alternative? Salem is winning this war, despite her failure at Haven. While she has Beacon she is a threat to Vale – it's just a question of time until she takes it. Then she'll make another move against Mistral. Or maybe Vacuo, to cut off the Dust supply. And eventually Atlas."

"And Menagerie as well," said Blake, who still had a bandage around her abdomen.

"I'm sure it's on her list," said Ruby.

Weiss was studying the plan. She said: "Ruby, I should tell you that I've never done anything like this before. It takes a lot of Aura energy and a great deal of concentration."

"I have faith in you, bestie," said Ruby.

"I'm not your – " started Weiss. Then she stopped. "Huh," she said.

"It is going into the belly of the beast," said Blake.

"And it assumes that the dragon will remain frozen," said Yang. "We don't know if Salem can change that, if she gets wind of what's happening."

"And it also assumes that Team Coffee can hold that ground against more Grimm than we have ever fought before," said Fox.

"We'll hold," said Coco. "We'll hold."

"One thing," said Velvet. "Suppose this works and we take back Beacon Academy. What then?"

The others considered. Yang said: "I am not certain that I would like to see Ozpin move back into the big office. He's ... sort of deceitful. Plots within plots. You never really know where you are with him."

"Comes with the job," said Glynda. "But I know what you mean."

"And I have to say," said Ruby, "that I don't like the idea of Oscar having to give up his life to be Ozpin's vessel. Oscar didn't ask for it, and he's got a right to live as well. He's a very brave, decent person."

"Maybe," said Weiss, "that problem should be addressed another day. It's not like we don't have enough to worry about already."

"Yes," said Yatsuhashi. "More than enough."

"And Ruby is right," said Glynda, looking at the plans. "There is no alternative. So ... all in."

RWBY

Hazel, Emerald, Mercury and Adam were making their way through the forest to the crash site. Mercury looked up; the small Nevermore was circling overhead.

"Looks like the boss is still watching us," he said.

They came to a clearing – and in front of them was the crashed transport.

"Hmm," said Adam, looking around. "I wonder why the Atlas people haven't made any attempt to retrieve it."

"Don't know, don't care," said Emerald. "All I care about is that if the relic thing can get us back on the good side of Salem she might tell me where Cinder is."

Hazel grunted. "Do not assume," he said, "that Salem has a good side."

The Nevermore began to descend. And then, from above and behind, a black crow came sweeping in, all beak and talons. It slashed into the Nevermore, which screeched.

The Nevermore, with both wings broken, began to fall. But it had turned to ashes before it hit the ground.

The crow spiralled down, and perched on a tree overlooking the crash site.

RWBY

Cinder looked down at the loose white robe. "Somehow," she said, "I feel that this is not my colour. Or style."

They were in Jaune's office.

Jaune gave a little laugh. "Maybe not, but it's all I could find," he said. "The dress you had before was beyond help."

"Do you know what happened to my other arm?" she said. "Or why my face is like this?"

"I cannot say I do," said Jaune. "Are you remembering anything else?"

"Bits and pieces," she said. "I remember a young woman, pretty, with dark skin and green hair. Is she a friend? Do I have any friends?"

"I don't know."

"Are you my friend?"

Jaune considered. "We have not been friends in the past, although we have hardly spoken to each other and I don't think you even knew my name," he said. "But now ... well, I don't know. Maybe."

"The boy," she said. "He speaks with two voices. One of them doesn't like me. The older one."

"How do you know that?"

She considered. "I ... feel ... it," she said. "Should I be able to do that?"

"Hmm," said Jaune. "Well, let's take a visit to the Mistral market, maybe we can find some clothes that work better for you."

She hesitated. "Uh ... my face ... " she said. "The scars. My face scares people, I think. It scares me, as well."

"Well, try this," he said. He pushed her hair partly over her face so it hid the broken skin and the twisted, blind eye. As it had before.

She looked at herself in the pale reflection of a window.

"Thank you, Jaune," she said.

A few minutes later, they were walking through the market area of Mistral. Cinder picked up a red silk sash from a display table. It was decorated with little hearts, embroidered in gold. Slowly, she ran her hand over the cool surface, the golden threads. Jaune stiffened. He touched the sword at his waist.

"Ring any bells?" he said.

Cinder was quiet for a long time. Then she put the sash down. "A few," she said. "Which is why I don't want it."

For a moment, Jaune thought that he saw a spark of fire in her eye.

RWBY

"Everybody loaded up?" said Ruby. "Velvet, do you have all the photos you need? Blake, are you fully healed?"

Everyone nodded. They began to walk across the area once known as the Garden Quadrant. There was a Grimm nest on the far side: Beowolfs, Ursas, and Beringels.

"Coco, tell me something," said Weiss. "How is it that your mini-gun never runs out of bullets?"

"Oh, I go to a store downtown. Bullets 'R' Us. Discounts for bulk purchases."

"Hmm," said Weiss. "Somehow, I was expecting something more complicated."

"No, that's it," said Coco. She opened her bag and took out a lipstick, and applied it. "It's also a purse," she added.

"Weiss, have you been practising?" said Yang.

"Er, uh, yes," said Weiss. "In a manner of speaking."

"And there is our frozen friend," said Ruby, pointing at the dragon on the Beacon tower. It was a long way away.

Grimm, sensing their presence, were beginning to emerge from the nest and come towards them. Maybe twenty.

"Blades for these ones," said Ruby. "Save the bullets and energy blasts for later."

Yatsuhashi drew his sword, as did Weiss. Fox extended his blades, and Blake morphed her weapon into its sword form. Ruby snapped her scythe into position, and Velvet generated a copy of it. They strode forward.

"Remember, we don't need anything fancy," said Ruby. "We just want to attract attention. So ... just kill every one of them."

 _All in_ , she thought.

And then ... contact.

END (to be continued)

* * *

 **All In**

The four of them entered the broken hull of the airship. Adam examined the cockpit. "No pilots, dead or alive," he said. "Some sort of remote control mechanism."

Hazel lifted a large wooden box out of a tangle of ropes and chains. The box had metal straps but one corner of it was broken.

Mercury peeked in. "Looks like some sort of lamp or lantern or something," he said.

"That is the Relic of Knowledge," said Hazel. "Very old, very powerful, very important."

"Maybe we should open up the box and ask it some questions," said Emerald. "Because it, you know, knows things. That's the idea, isn't it?"

"And you can be the one to tell Salem that you have given her prize a little test drive," said Mercury.

"Hmm," said Emerald.

"We take it to Salem," said Hazel. "Right now. This is not a debate." He took the portal stone from the bag at his belt.

"Uh, where is the Nevermore thing?" said Adam, looking around.

Hazel shrugged. He held up the stone. A portal opened.

"Just a moment," said Adam. "No attempt at recovery, no pilots, it comes down on an island and not in the sea ... this isn't right."

But the others were walking through the portal. Emerald, with one foot through, looked back. "You coming?" she said. "Or do you have somewhere else you have to be?"

Adam scowled. Then he followed the others.

RWBY

"I think we got their attention," said Yang. She cocked her gauntlets.

"Are the Giant Nevermores coming from the tower?" said Ruby.

"Not yet," said Coco. "But there is plenty of other trade heading our way." She gestured at the waves of Grimm creatures coming towards them. She morphed her bag into its gun form.

"There is ... quite a lot of them," said Blake.

"Yes," said Yatsuhashi. "Many. Very many. More than before."

"Let's do this," said Glynda. She raised her crop and loosed a series of energy bolts. A score of Grimm went down.

"Nicely done," said Yang.

"I wasn't always a professor, you know," said Glynda.

"Ah," said Coco. She pointed. "Goliaths. Velvet, will you join me?"

She began to fire at the huge creatures, and Velvet chimed in with a gun-copy. As the Goliaths went down, Coco and Velvet raised their sights and took down a flock of Gryphons.

The nine of them had turned the first wave to ashes but a group of Ursas had managed to get behind them. "Yatsu, V, we take these ones," said Fox. In a few moments, they had dusted the Ursas. But other Grimm were beginning to encircle them.

"Like I said, they're getting smarter," said Glynda.

"They still turn to dust when you shoot them," said Yang, shooting.

Ruby looked around. Hundreds of Grimm had gone down but they were closer on three sides, now.

"So ... this is the plan, then?" said Blake.

"Uh, sort of," said Ruby. She took off the head of a Beowolf but a Beringel reared up, about to strike –

And then turned to ashes as a crossbow arrow smashed into its head. From above. Ruby started in surprise.

"Hey!" shouted a voice. "You guys need any help?"

Nora. Team VALIANT. Plus two. In an airship.

"Welcome to the party!" shouted Yang. Nora led the others in the jump down, and the airship, already being targeted by Gryphons, turned away.

Nebula landed next to Ruby.

"Thanks for the arrow thing," said Ruby. "And good to see you again."

"You too," said Nebula, as she continued to fire arrows. "Not what we expected, though. Tav and I thought we'd hitch a ride. You know, drop in on some friends, do a little shopping, that sort of thing."

"And yet here we are in the middle of a battle," said Octavia. She drew her _kris_ and sent a series of shockwaves into the Grimm. That, plus volleys of grenades from Nora, pushed the attack back. There was a few seconds of respite. The group reloaded, and Velvet quickly began to take more photos.

Ruby looked at the tower. The Nevermores were taking off and heading for them.

"Weiss," said Ruby. "Now."

"Just keep them off me for a few seconds," said Weiss. She knelt down and put her sword point-first on the ground. She concentrated – hard _. I probably shouldn't tell them that when I tried to do this in practice I couldn't achieve it,_ she thought, as beads of sweat ran down her temples. _It would only worry them._

A glyph appeared on the ground, and she expanded the size.

A white claw emerged from the glyph. Then, slowly, a Gryphon climbed out. A vanquished enemy. It gave a screech.

"That's ... well, that's pretty impressive," said Nebula. "Uh, it's on our side, right?"

Ruby looked at Team Coffee, Team VALIANT, Glynda, Nebula, and Octavia – and then at the horde of Grimm creatures.

"Go," said Nora to her. "We've got this."

"Yes," said Coco. "We have."

"And good luck," said Glynda.

Weiss climbed onto the Gryphon's back, and pulled Ruby up. Blake and Yang swung up beside them.

"Now what?" said Yang. "Do we say 'fly, my pretty'?"

"Working on it," said Blake. She put her hands on the Gryphon's head, gathering her will once more.

The Gryphon began to move, one tentative step after another. It began to gallop. It started to flap its wings. The four of them struggled to hang on.

"Next time, resurrect something with bucket seats and a windscreen," said Yang.

"It flies, does it?" said Blake.

"Facetious comments not helping," said Weiss.

"It's what I do," said Blake.

"Uh-oh," said Ruby. She pointed. Three Goliaths were stampeding towards them. "Er, Weiss – "

"I know."

"Any time now."

"I know!"

The Gryphon leaped into the air – and then fell back to the ground. It continued to gallop. The gap was narrowing fast.

"Come on, baby," muttered Weiss. "Come on, you can do it, come on – " And then: " _Come on, you son of a bitch!_ "

The Gryphon staggered into the air. It passed over the charging Goliaths by the width of a hand.

They were off.

RWBY

Hazel and the others stepped from the portal into the main chamber of Salem's castle. She was waiting for them.

"Ah," she said. "Finally, you have done something right."

"So now you have a relic," said Mercury.

"Actually, two," said Salem.

Adam was walking around the chamber, as if impressed with the dark grandeur of it. He came to a shelf of portal stones.

Hazel took hold of the metal straps of the box and snapped them. He pulled the wooden sides away and took the lantern out. He placed it on a table in front of Salem.

"At last," she said. She held her hand over it, and there was a glow of light from her palm, to activate the relic's powers.

Nothing happened.

She tried again.

Nothing.

"Hey, what's this engraved on the side?" said Mercury. "Maybe it's the instructions to turn it on."

"Dolt," said Salem. "It doesn't need instructions. But tell me what it says."

Mercury read aloud: _Proudly made by the Lanterns 'R' Us company, Mistral. Antique copies a speciality._

"And there's a date of manufacture," he added. "Two weeks ago."

Salem stared at the lantern. Then her face turned from white to scarlet to the colour of blood. "You idiots!" she screamed. "It's a fake! You brought me a fake! I'll kill all of you! And take your souls!"

Her rage filled the chamber. But then there was a swirl of black smoke on the other side of the room. And from the smoke emerged Team RWBY, snarling, growling, charging, weapons up and ready. The little one, the one with the red cape and silver eyes, leaped at Salem and grabbed her by the throat. And began to squeeze.

Salem unleashed a wave of dark energy. The illusion fell away – and it was not Ruby that had her by the throat. It was Hazel Rainart. He had Dust crystals embedded in his arms.

He managed to turn to Emerald, Mercury and Adam. "Run!" he shouted.

Salem's eyes blazed. She fired bolt after bolt into Hazel but he would not let go.

Adam threw a portal stone to Emerald. "Think of somewhere!" he shouted to her. "Anywhere!"

A portal opened. Emerald, Mercury and Adam dived through. Hazel saw them vanish. He smiled. "You lose," he said to Salem, softly.

Salem shot a massive burst of energy into him. His grip loosened, and his eyes flickered closed. He slumped down. Salem pushed the body away.

She looked around. At the empty chamber, at the fake lantern that sat there, staring at her, mocking her. She fired a blast into it, and it exploded.

Her scream of anger and frustration echoed from one end of the castle to the other.

END (to be continued)

* * *

 **Dragon**

The white Gryphon carrying Team RWBY careened from side to side. A particularly violent swing almost threw them off.

"Sorry, sorry," said Weiss. "But this is not like riding a bike. I'm not even sure how it works."

"All things considered, I believe the plan is going, er, according to plan," pronounced Ruby.

"Great, we are going to die according to plan," muttered Blake.

The tower of Beacon Academy, as well as the frozen dragon perched on a buttress pillar, was in clear sight now. Weiss had taken the Gryphon in an arc, to avoid the Nevermores flying from the tower to the Garden Quadrant, where Team Coffee and the others were fighting the fight of their lives. But one of the Nevermores had turned back towards the tower.

"Uh, Weiss," said Ruby. "I know that your summoned Grimm creatures dissolve after a while. Do you think this will last long enough for us to get there?"

"No idea," said Weiss. "I haven't summoned this one before."

The others looked at each other. "Cross your fingers," said Yang.

RWBY

Salem willed herself into something like calm. Stepping over the body of Hazel she walked slowly into the adjoining room, her library, and stared out the window at the Frostfire Wastes.

Tricked. Deceived. Manipulated. Wherever the Knowledge Relic was now, it was most probably out of her reach.

This is not like Ozpin, she thought. Too clever, too risky. And the engraving on the fake lantern? Certainly not Ozpin. No, someone with a wicked sense of humour had done this. With the aim of making her look in the wrong direction. But who?

"Ah," she said aloud. "Her."

And what did she want? What was important to her?

There was only one answer. Beacon Academy.

But taking back Beacon would require ...

"The dragon," said Salem. " _My_ dragon."

She called the Seer to her side and began to take books from the shelves.

RWBY

"Damn, that thing is big," said Yang.

"But it's a sitting target," said Ruby. "We cut its head off, check out our old room, and then off to our usual cafe in Vale. I'm buying."

"Uh, it blinked," said Blake. "I'm sure I saw the eye move."

The dragon was covered in white ice. But a crack had appeared in the ice. As they watched, another crack, running down the ice covering the creature's wing, appeared.

"Salem," breathed Ruby.

"Almost there," said Weiss, as she guided the Gryphon towards the wrecked roof of the tower. But the Gryphon was beginning to fade, leaving a trail of silver fragments behind it.

"Jump!" shouted Ruby.

They hit the roof, and rolled. The Gryphon disintegrated.

"Well, all that wasn't so hard," said Yang, dusting herself off.

"Then next time you do it," said Weiss. She sagged to the ground, panting from the effort. "I ... I don't know how much more help I'm going to be, guys," she said. "I don't have much left."

"You've done your part," said Ruby. "Now let me do mine." She extended Crescent Rose into its full, deadly length. She strode towards the edge of the roof near the dragon.

Then there was an immense cracking sound, and the whole tower shook.

"Oh no," said Blake.

The dragon, still half-covered in ice, hauled itself onto the roof. It stared at Ruby.

And in its eye Ruby saw an image of Salem. She struck out with the scythe, catching the dragon on the side of its reptilian face. There was a splash of something that might have been blood.

The dragon gave a roar. It was clearly not at its full strength but it was nevertheless incredibly powerful. It began to advance on Ruby. She backed up, slashing at the creature.

"Hey!" shouted Yang from the other side. "Over here!" She fired at the dragon, again and again. Everything she had.

The dragon turned away from Ruby to face its new attacker. It gave another roar, and started to spread its wings, shaking the last of the ice away.

Yang continued to fire, searching for a weak spot. She was hurting it ... but not enough.

The dragon flapped its wings and began to lift off.

"You ain't going anywhere, fella," said Blake. She threw Gambol Shroud, and it wrapped around one of the dragon's legs. Blake threw the other end around the base of a broken pillar.

But the dragon was strong. It began to drag Blake towards the edge.

Yang leaped forward, grabbing Blake and the Shroud. With all of her great strength, she hauled. For a moment, the dragon was suspended in space.

Ruby readied her weapon. _If it gets away and fully recovers_ , she thought, _it will destroy everything. Everything._

She glanced at Weiss, who nodded.

Now or never. Ruby's eyes began to blaze with silver fire.

Weiss conjured a glyph near the dragon, and Ruby leaped onto it, and then towards the dragon. She became a red vortex, her scythe swinging, cutting into the neck of the creature, again and again as Ruby swung around, the blade piercing deeper with every sweep.

The dragon gave a howl – of pain, this time.

Ruby swung away, landing in a crouch, the scythe on her shoulder.

The dragon crashed down. Then, slowly, its head fell away from its body. It began to smoke, then fall in on itself, then turn to cinders.

The four women collapsed with exhaustion and relief.

RWBY

" _NO!_ " screamed Salem.

RWBY

They were fighting back-to-back when the Grimm attack began to falter. Suddenly, the creatures seemed uncertain. Some began to turn away. The flying ones drifted upwards, and started to circle aimlessly.

"Damn," said Nora. "Damn if they didn't do it."

"Nick of time," said Ilia, wiping blood from a shoulder wound.

"A very close nick," said Sun.

"Then let's finish this while we have the chance," said Glynda.

"Heard that," said Coco. She hefted her gun again.

RWBY

They picked themselves up, and stared at each other. "That was – " started Yang.

"Look out!" shouted Blake. She leaped forward, slamming into the other three. They went over the edge together.

A Nevermore swept by, snapping at the space where they had been a moment before.

Now they were hanging by Gambol Shroud, swinging slowly in the air.

"Unexpected," said Weiss.

"Indeed," said Blake.

The Nevermore had lost sight of them. It began to fly away.

"So here is Team RWBY," said Ruby. "Together, and just hanging out."

Weiss rolled her eyes. She began to climb up the Shroud to the roof. Ruby followed her.

Blake and Yang, their faces only a few inches apart, stared at each other.

"Well, here we are," said Blake.

"Yep," said Yang. "Here we are. Just you and me. You want to dance?"

"I'd love to," said Blake.

Weiss and Ruby looked out from the tower. Grimm were starting to wander away from Beacon and Vale.

"Salem's going to be pissed," said Weiss.

"Oh yeah," said Ruby. "Heh. Say, what's taking Blake and Yang so long to get up here?"

"Uh, maybe we should give them some together time," said Weiss. "I have to hand it to you, Ruby. You did it."

"A team effort, in the truest sense," said Ruby. "To tell the truth, I didn't think the plan would work. I gave it a one-in-four chance. I didn't think there was anything to gain by saying that."

"Probably not."

Blake and Yang appeared.

"Lipstick needs repairing, Blake," said Weiss.

"What? Oh, yeah, right," said Blake. She took a lipstick from her pocket and did a touch-up.

"You know it's just going to get messed up again, don't you?" said Yang.

"I certainly hope so," said Blake. Suddenly, she began to chuckle. "'Hanging out'," she said. "I just got that."

Weiss gave a little laugh. "Really, you've got to love her," she said.

"Yes," said Yang. "You do."

END (to be continued)

* * *

 **Aftermath**

"Can you tell me anything more about my life ... before?" said Cinder.

"Not much," said Jaune.

They were sitting on a bench in the courtyard of Haven Academy, watching students walking around and doing student things.

"You can't, or you don't want to?"

"Bit of both."

"Are you afraid that I might recover my memory?"

Jaune considered. Eventually, he said: "Yes, I suppose I am. Because then we would be enemies again."

Cinder was quiet for a long time. "I ... have the feeling ... that I wronged you," she said. "Very badly."

Jaune took a deep breath. "The truth of that," he said, "is that you killed someone close to me. And you tried to kill another one. But that was a different you."

"Is that why one of the boy's voices wants to kill me?"

"I think that that is more of a general principle."

"So ... I was not a good person before. It sounds as if I was a very bad one. And that I enjoyed it."

Jaune nodded. "Yes, that is true," he said. "But what matters is what you do now. Today and tomorrow. You can look at this as a second chance."

She was quiet again, thinking. "I am not so sure," she said. "I feel that there is great power inside me, and it is not to be denied. I cannot pretend to be a normal person. I have to try and remember who I was. And decide who I am."

"Or," said Jaune, "you could put the past aside. Stay here. With me, maybe."

Cinder gave a little smile. "I can't be sure," she said, "but I don't think that anyone has made me such a generous offer before. But I regret to say, Jaune, that I cannot accept it. This is not my place. I think you know that."

For a while, they watched the students. Then Cinder said: "Did I tell you that I have chosen a name? After we went to the market. Sienna."

Jaune smiled. "Sienna. That's nice," he said.

She reached over and tenderly kissed him on the cheek. "And now I have to go," she said.

"I know," he said.

She stood up and walked away. Jaune saw her brush something from her eye.

"Goodbye, Cinder," he said softly.

RWBY

"My dear friends, I have missed you so much!" said Weiss. She was standing in front of her open closet in the Team RWBY room at Beacon Academy. She touched each of the garments with a tenderness approaching reverence.

"No-one else could be that crazy," said Yang.

Blake was on her knees, sorting through the pile of books. "Where is it, where is it ... " she mumbled. "Please be here, please be here ... Aha!" She extracted _Ninjas of Love_ from the mess and hugged it to her chest.

"Guess I was wrong," said Yang.

"Strange how untouched everything is," said Ruby, looking around. There was still one bed tied up with rope and another balanced on stacks of books. "Well, maybe not so strange. I guess the Grimm just didn't have a reason to come inside."

"What is so special about that book, Blake?" said Yang.

Blake gave a little smile. "Maybe I'll read it to you, and you'll find out," she said.

Ruby's scroll buzzed. She looked at it. "Glynda says there is a celebration about to happen at the Vale cafe," she said. "Let's go."

A short time after, they were at the cafe, with the others. There had been no casualties, but everyone was bruised and battered.

"What now for Beacon?" said Ruby to Glynda.

"I guess we try and put it all back together," she said. "This war is not finished, and we still need to train Hunters."

"And the location of the Summer Maiden is still unknown," said Nora. "And the Fall and Spring Maidens, for that matter."

"Ruby, Ochre gave me this to give to you," said Ilia. She handed her _The Book of Relics_. "But much of it is written in a language I have never seen before. Like this part." She opened the book and pointed to a section.

"I don't see what you mean," said Ruby. "I can read it easily enough."

Weiss looked at the page. "Well, I can't," she said. "Maybe, Ruby, you can read it for the same reason you could speak to the Knowledge Relic. Whatever that is."

Ruby closed the book. "What will you do now, Ilia?" she said. "Are you going back with Nebula and Octavia to Shade Academy? Maybe train as a Hunter?"

"Yes, I will go back to Shade," she said. "But not to be a Hunter. To be a gardener. I think it will help me sort some things out."

"Dirt is good for that," said Sun.

"It is," said Ilia. "Ochre told us that the Creation Relic was taken away from Vacuo many years ago. To Atlas. She said she remembered a tall, handsome officer with a mechanical arm."

"Hmm," said Ruby. "Something to think about."

"A very big something," said Glynda.

"Hey," said Weiss. "Where are Yang and Blake?"

At that moment, Yang was falling back against the pillows in her bed in the guesthouse.

"Whoa," she gasped. "Momma."

"Oh yeah," said Blake, herself gasping. "Momma, indeed. So ... you're saying that it was worth waiting for?"

"Worth ... every ... moment," said Yang.

END AND AMEN (except for ... )

The portal opened and Emerald, Mercury and Adam fell through, landing together in a heap. The portal closed behind them.

"Damn, he sacrificed himself for us!" said Emerald as they untangled themselves. "Why would he do that?"

"Guess the lummox had a sense of honour," said Mercury. "Emerald, where are we?"

"I ... I'm not entirely sure," said Emerald. "It was all a rush, and so much was happening. But ... I was thinking of somewhere from years ago, when I was just a kid on the run. Nothing here seems familiar, though."

"Hmm," said Adam. "Well, that place over there looks like a bar. I could certainly use a drink. Quite a few."

The others agreed. They went in. In one of the booths was a familiar figure. She saw them and smiled an elvin smile.

Neo.

END

57


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